lust for life • james cook - skins

2 - cook

I lean against the wall at the side of Freddie's house, one hand in my pocket and the other holding a cigarette.

Today is the first day of college. My goal for college is to just absolutely fuck it and go ape every day, just because I can. I don't care about anything anymore. There's no point in wasting my time caring about stupid shit, like following the rules. It won't matter when I'm dead now, will it?

I look up as the front door opens, and Freddie walks out, holding his skateboard.

"Where's J?" I ask him, looking around his shoulder to see if I can spot him.

"Dunno," Freddie shrugs. "Probably in the toilet or something."

I poke my head through the door and yell for JJ. "Hurry up, JJ lad! We don't got all day. College starts soon enough and I wanna make a good first impression."

Freddie blinks at me. "You, good first impression?" He laughs. "When has Cook ever made a good first impression?"

I hit his arm lightly. "Oi, shut your mouth, man," I say, turning away from him to pull on my cig. "I always make a good impression on the ladies."

Freddie laughs again. "Yeah, whatever man."

"If you don't shut the fuck up-"

I'm interrupted by JJ joining us outside Freddie's front door. "S-Sorry guys. Couldn't find my pills."

"You alright now, yeah?" Freddie asks. Freds is always the more caring one in our trio.

"Yeah, I'm good now," JJ responds, smiling.

"Well, we don't got all day, like I said," I say, starting to walk on ahead of the two. "Good impression and that."

I hear JJ snort. "When have you ever-"

"Yeah, yeah," I interrupt him. "Can it, lad. I want first pick of the women and we're obviously not gonna get it if we're dawdling 'round old Freddie's house like a bunch of penises."

I hear Freddie and JJ mutter among themselves but I ignore them. I strut on ahead of them, eager to get to college. I honestly don't know why I want to be early, but my gut is telling me that I'm gonna want to be in school today.

"Would you hurry on, you lot?" I shout at the lads behind me, throwing away my cigarette in the process. "Fuck me, I'm going for a spliff."

JJ looks at me, disbelief plastered all over his face. "You're smoking weed before your first day of college?" He starts. "Marijuana has copious amounts of effects on your concentration levels and ability to-"

"Shut it JJ, kid, would you?" I mutter, spliff in my mouth as I fumble around my pockets for my lighter. "Freddie Brek, you in?"

Freddie looks at JJ sheepishly as I retrieve my lighter and spark the joint. "Sorry, J," he mumbled, a hint of apology in his tone. "You know me, I can't resist it."

JJ shakes his head. "You're both absolute lost causes, you know that?" He sighs, scuffing the ground with his trainers. "Especially you, Cook."

I chuckle, patting J's back. "Much love JJ, man," I respond, muffled by the joint in my mouth. "Much love."

I take a couple pulls the pass it back to Freddie. "Alright, onward," I shout, pointing ahead dramatically.

We head down the street in a three, the spliff being passed between Freddie and I occasionally.

"So, ladies," I begin, taking the joint off Freddie. "Your plans for the year?"

"Ummm," JJ stammers. "To learn? To succeed? Isn't that the entire point of going to college?"

I shake my head, smiling. "Fuck all that academic shit. It won't matter in five years."

JJ blinks at me in disbelief. "I think you're wrong on that one, Cookie," he teased. "I'm pretty sure what you get in your A-levels determines whether you get into college or not."

"I'm gonna have to agree with him on that, Cook," Freddie shrugs. "I'm not too fussed about them either though, to be honest."

"See, Freds knows what I'm talking about," I continue.

"I'm telling you -" I pause to take a long pull of the spliff between my fingers before continuing. "They don't matter. How are piece of shit letters and numbers on a piece of bloody paper going to decide how I'm gonna end up in life?"

JJ shakes his head once again. "Like I said, Cook," he sighs in defeat. "A lost cause."

"Well, I may be a lost cause, but at least I'm not a boring one!" I declare, laughing loudly. I take another pull of my joint and as I'm blowing out the smoke, I see something out of the corner of my eye. I turn my head to get a full view and am greeted with the sight of a girl, around our age, looking over at me, from across the street.

"Target acquired," I mutter to myself, grinning. The girl is fit, from what I can see. She's smoking a cigarette, even though she doesn't look the type to smoke.

"What's your name then, babes?" I shout at her, looking her up and down. She's still looking at me.

I see her smile, and I nudge JJ and Freds as she looks like she's about to say something. Instead, she puts her cigarette up to her mouth, and takes a long drag, looking at me in the process. She then turns her head away from me, blowing out a cloud of smoke, still smiling.

I tut in disappointment, while Freddie and JJ snigger. "Come on, don't be like that!" I exclaim. She doesn't turn her head to acknowledge me again. I don't admit it, but it pisses me off when a girl even somewhat rejects me. Fuck you, playing hard to get.

"I'm Cook!" I yell at her. "We'll meet again babes, I just know it!"

Freddie nudges me. "You're gonna get yourself done for harassment if you don't shut the fuck up, man," he laughs. "I don't think she's interested."

I shake my head aggressively. "She wants me, lad, I can tell," I mutter, looking back over at her. She still hasn't even stole a glance at me. "She's playing games. I know her type. She wants me. Trust."

Freddie takes the joint out of my fingers. "Whatever you say, Cook," he shrugs. "Can I finish this off?"

"Yeah, yeah," I answer, absent-minded. She's now walking over to two other girls, another brunette, and a blonde. The other brunette looks over at me, ignoring her blonde friend who's babbling away beside her. She cocks her head, and smiles at me.

I look at Freddie and JJ, but they aren't even looking at her. I grin back at the girl. She's very different from the first girl. They're both slender, and have similar kind of features, but this girl has more spunk about her. She dresses really gothic-like. It's hot.

I nod at her and she nods back, then turns around to walk with the two other girls, the blonde in between the two brunettes.

"Well boys," I murmur, tearing my gaze away from the girl.

"We're in for a brilliant year, I can tell."